THE GOLDEN PASTURES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1929, Page 8

THE GOLDEN PASTURES

EXCELLENT FARMING YEAR. WELLINGTON, September 18. The season of 1928-29 may be recorded as an excellent one for our farming industries generally as regards both production and returns said the Minister of Agriculture ((Mr G. W. Forbes) in his annual report to Parliament. It was a peak year for production from grass land, the increase in the annual value on a standard price being estimated at £9,780,000. The increase in the acreage topdressed was 400,000 acres. Large as was the area thus annually treated, it represented only 13 per cent, of the Dominion’s sown grass lands. There were about 6,000,000 acres where payable increases due to top-dressing could be secured, and at the rate of progress of the last two years that acreage would be reached within the next decade with the fertiliser tonnage reaching the million mark, and an annual top-dressing bill of approximately £6,000,000. ; As regarded production the dairy industry experienced a record season. Some ,80,932 tons of butter and 84,627 tons of cheese were forwarded to the grading ports, representing an increase of respectively 7.58 per cent, and 12 .36 per cent, the highest yet 'recorded. In terms’ of butter-fat they represented an increase of 8359 tons. T,e good standard of quality attained by butter had been maintained hut in regard to cheese'there was a need for improvement in more than 1 direction. A good wool season was experienced and the latest returns showed that the total sheep flocks had been brought up to 29,011,447, an increase of 1,877,637 head.